The letter, signed by reservist and regular soldiers across a wide range of roles and divisions, was addressed to Cabinet ministers and the Israeli military’s chief of staff.
“It is now clear that continuing the war in Gaza does not only delay the hostages’ return from captivity, but also endangers their lives: Many hostages have been killed by IDF strikes, many more than those who have been rescued in military operations to save them,” the letter said.
“We, who serve and have served with dedication and while risking are lives, hereby announce that if the government does not immediately change course and work toward a deal to bring the hostages back home, we will not be able to continue serving.
“For some of us, the red line has been crossed already; for others, it is rapidly approaching: the day is approaching when we will, with broken hearts, stop reporting for duty,” the letter added.
The letter comes two days after the first anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks that started the war in Gaza, when 251 hostages were kidnapped by Hamas militants from Israeli territory, of whom around 97 are still held in the enclave, in addition to another four who have been there for years.
There has only been a one-week truce in the war at the end of November, during which 105 hostages were released in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.
At least six other captives have been incidentally killed by the Israeli army, while among the 30 that Israeli forces estimate to be dead, some were killed in the incessant Israeli air strikes, according to Hamas.
